This article is from page 4 of the 2008-09-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE Department of the Environ- ment has said it is not possible to “ac- curately project” when work on the long awaited Ennis Clarecastle main drainage scheme will be completed.
In a statement issued in response to a number of queries related to the status of the scheme, a spokesperson said the department had approved a preliminary report for the scheme and that construction was expected to commence in 2009.
The spokesperson said, “The En- nis/Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme, which includes the provision of a new wastewater treatment plant, is included in the department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 as a scheme to start con- struction in 2009.”
“The department has approved
Clare County Council’s preliminary report for the scheme and, subject to some amendments, the council’s brief for the appointment of consult- ants to prepare contract documents for the scheme. It 1s understood that the council is currently preparing a Procurement Assessment Report with a view to finalising the brief and allowing the appointment of consult- ants as soon as possible.”
‘A decision on the council’s budget proposals for the scheme, which were received last April, will shortly be conveyed to the council,” contin- ued the spokesperson.
Concern over the timeline of scheme was raised at a recent meet- ing of councillors representing the Ennis Electoral Area.
At that meeting Town Engineer Tom Tiernan said he did not expect the scheme, which was first proposed
in 1995, to be finished until 2013.
Mr Tiernan also admitted that the limited capacity of Ennis sewage system had forced the council to is- sue refusals to a number of signifi- oF Talis lead ley evento ice
He said the council was consider- ing the development of a temporary treatment facility, estimated to cost €1.5 million. There were calls from a number of councillors for any such facility to be funded by the Depart- ment of the Environment.
However a spokesperson for the department stated, “The department has received no proposals from the council in relation to temporary treatment facilities. Given that there are a number of stages still to be gone through, it is not possible for the department to accurately project at this stage when the scheme will be completed.”